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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · jam · rush · bore · bank · content · branch · rest

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. content — the amount
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rest — a break
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. content — happy
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bank — for money
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rest — what's left
  22. branch — a division
  23. bore — to tire
  24. jam — to spread on bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com